Gull Rider - example treatment
This is just an example of the first part of a treatment. You will need to ensure that your full treatment tells the whole story.A group of children, find themselves are transported to another world. They are caught up in a struggle for the control of the kingdom and along the way they pick up some very special skills.In a dusty attic of their new home, two young children are rummaging through the boxes from the move when they come across a magic bracelet. After deciphering the clue written on the bracelet, a door opens in the air, they walk through and transport to the magical kingdom of Haperion.We see a King sitting on a throne, surrounded by advisers and courtiers. Each of whom are intent on putting their view across about the war. Some are urging a truce with the enemy, others are urging all out war to crush the rebellion. The King sits head in hand as if waiting for some sort of divine inspiration.This scene is cut with another scene where we jump to a scene in the rebel castle where the King's brother (the true heir to the throne) is planning a full scale assault on his kingdom. The people here are more belligerent and demanding the Prince regain his birthright. We cut back to the two children who have been left up on a cliff overlooking a torrid sea. The magic door has closed and the children are about to set off when people riding on gulls appear in the sky. They swoop down and surround the children, who are quite obviously afraid. The gull-riders are from the King's army and have been sent to secure the borders against incursions from the rebels.After pressing the terrified children for information, they decide to take them back to the King. The King, puzzled by their nature and clothing, sees them as the key to the war aginst the rebels. He is convinced that the boys can summon a portal, using the bracelet, to dump the rebels into. Failing that, he wants the boys to bring weapons from their world to wipe out the rebels.The King decides the boys must prove their mettle. They are dispatched (after a prolonged debate) to the rebel fortress to re-capture the King's sceptre, which is locked in a deep dark dungeon. We cut to the boys who have been introduced to their gulls for the journey. They are packing and strapping equipment to a saddle on each gull. They are discussing the quest when one gull turns around and starts talking. The two boys jump as they did not realise until now that the gulls were capable of speech. The gull laughs at the boy's and dismisses their chances on the message. They finish packing and one of the boys keeps bickering with the gull...
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
What is a film treatment?
Film Treatments
Film Treatments turn ideas into a synopsis of the action. They are usually about 5-15pages long and are, essentially, a summary of the story told in present tense prose.The first part of writing a treatment (in my opinion) is to try to make sure you have a clear three part structure for your film (Set-up, conflict, resolution). This will give you a clear through line for your story to follow and should help you frame each part in further detail. You don't always have to have a three part structure but let's walk before we can run eh?Then I would storyboard the main beats/scenes/episodes of the movie that are crucial to understanding the movie's action as a whole. It is not necessary to use camera angles in the panel's at this stage. Leave that for your two minute piece!Your treatment should:take the reader through the story of the film. It must bring across the characters and events as they will appear in the film. not give more information than the audience of the film will have. go through each sequence, but does not have to contain every scene. come to about 10 pages for a 90 minute feature film (double spaced, 12 pt arial font) Be separated into acts and sequences (with titles) if it helps. A treatment sells the film to both creative and financial minds, therefore it must: grip the reader in the first line of the first page. make the reader want to turn to the next page at the end of every page. move the action forward and not linger on descriptions You should have a look at the following websites.This one explains the nature of a treatment:http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_Making_Manual/Treatments This one gives an example Treatment. Look at the style:http://www.scribd.com/doc/4089756/Film-TreatmentI think you should aim for about a five page treatment. It ain't Hollywood baby!
Film Treatments turn ideas into a synopsis of the action. They are usually about 5-15pages long and are, essentially, a summary of the story told in present tense prose.The first part of writing a treatment (in my opinion) is to try to make sure you have a clear three part structure for your film (Set-up, conflict, resolution). This will give you a clear through line for your story to follow and should help you frame each part in further detail. You don't always have to have a three part structure but let's walk before we can run eh?Then I would storyboard the main beats/scenes/episodes of the movie that are crucial to understanding the movie's action as a whole. It is not necessary to use camera angles in the panel's at this stage. Leave that for your two minute piece!Your treatment should:take the reader through the story of the film. It must bring across the characters and events as they will appear in the film. not give more information than the audience of the film will have. go through each sequence, but does not have to contain every scene. come to about 10 pages for a 90 minute feature film (double spaced, 12 pt arial font) Be separated into acts and sequences (with titles) if it helps. A treatment sells the film to both creative and financial minds, therefore it must: grip the reader in the first line of the first page. make the reader want to turn to the next page at the end of every page. move the action forward and not linger on descriptions You should have a look at the following websites.This one explains the nature of a treatment:http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Movie_Making_Manual/Treatments This one gives an example Treatment. Look at the style:http://www.scribd.com/doc/4089756/Film-TreatmentI think you should aim for about a five page treatment. It ain't Hollywood baby!
How to post videos
Posting videos
Is easy. All you have to do is click on the film reel logo (2nd from the right) when you are posting. What I would do is write a bit of commentary to go with the video (you know so you're evaluating as you go along!) and, hopefully, over the course of your project, you will be able to see the changes that have happened; you will have been able to show the examiner where your piece has progressed; and also you will have been constantly documenting your progress in two ways (text and film).
Is easy. All you have to do is click on the film reel logo (2nd from the right) when you are posting. What I would do is write a bit of commentary to go with the video (you know so you're evaluating as you go along!) and, hopefully, over the course of your project, you will be able to see the changes that have happened; you will have been able to show the examiner where your piece has progressed; and also you will have been constantly documenting your progress in two ways (text and film).
Example film opening analysis
Woman In Black - Thriller suspense analysis and research
Here's some example research that is illuminating my planning. Don't know what's happened to the size of the letters below!
The film opening begins directly with the titles. The media language immediately tells the audience they are watching a thriller. The titles are very simplistic with a black background and simple block font, in a an off-white colour. The letters appear to have little chunks missing out of them. Also, at some points more noticeable than others, there is a visible black shadow/cloud effect moving across the words on screen. The imperfect font connotes imperfection; something wrong, as does the off-white colour. The black background together with the shadows connote fear. This will be immediately recognisable to the audience as iconography associated with the thriller genre.
I think that there are some characteristic elements that would be useful in the start of another movie. The iconographic use of cloud could be a useful background to some of the action in the start of our film. It should be relatively easy to shoot on a overcast and gloomy day to ramp up the threat level from the very start.
Here's some example research that is illuminating my planning. Don't know what's happened to the size of the letters below!
The film opening begins directly with the titles. The media language immediately tells the audience they are watching a thriller. The titles are very simplistic with a black background and simple block font, in a an off-white colour. The letters appear to have little chunks missing out of them. Also, at some points more noticeable than others, there is a visible black shadow/cloud effect moving across the words on screen. The imperfect font connotes imperfection; something wrong, as does the off-white colour. The black background together with the shadows connote fear. This will be immediately recognisable to the audience as iconography associated with the thriller genre.
I think that there are some characteristic elements that would be useful in the start of another movie. The iconographic use of cloud could be a useful background to some of the action in the start of our film. It should be relatively easy to shoot on a overcast and gloomy day to ramp up the threat level from the very start.
Sample blogs
Example of Production documentation - day one
You might want to check out the student blogs on:
http://reniermedia.wordpress.com/ocr-as-media-harlow-college-blogs-for-foundation-portfolio/
The individual blogs might give you some ideas on what kind of things you should include. I can't stand over how good they are though!Below you can find an example of a the opening production post on a student blog:
Today we were given the brief for this project. This was to make our own music video for an existing song, or one which we have produced ourselves. We were all given laptops and DVD’s with previous students work on. There were a few varied videos - some good, some not so good. It was great to learn the limits of the available equipment. At this point we also had decide who we were going to work with. An old partnership was reformed with Mike Lamb and Alex Ritch working together again.He ended up with a C grade overall.
You might want to check out the student blogs on:
http://reniermedia.wordpress.com/ocr-as-media-harlow-college-blogs-for-foundation-portfolio/
The individual blogs might give you some ideas on what kind of things you should include. I can't stand over how good they are though!Below you can find an example of a the opening production post on a student blog:
Today we were given the brief for this project. This was to make our own music video for an existing song, or one which we have produced ourselves. We were all given laptops and DVD’s with previous students work on. There were a few varied videos - some good, some not so good. It was great to learn the limits of the available equipment. At this point we also had decide who we were going to work with. An old partnership was reformed with Mike Lamb and Alex Ritch working together again.He ended up with a C grade overall.
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